by Elsie James
“Look.” Amelia hands me a photo. Dad is sitting in the front row at a professional basketball game. His terrible outfit makes me chuckle.
“Why would someone submit a photo of Dad sitting courtside? These are supposed to be photos showing his work in the community.”
I check out the photo. Dad certainly looks happy. He has a pretzel in his hand and a relaxed expression on his face. Then I scan the rest of the photo to try and guess the year it was taken. The faded date in the corner tells me it was twelve years ago. Next to Dad on one side is one of his oldest business partners. On the other side is Uncle David. They must have been on an exclusive work trip. The three men always snuck away together to make high dollar decisions and discuss secret plans. But when I notice the man sitting two seats away from Dad, I freeze.
“Amelia. Come here. Look. Who does this look like to you?” I point to the bulky, broad-shouldered young man whose gaze is trained on Daddy.
“Shane.” Amelia and I say it at the same time. There’s no mistaking that million-dollar smile. I would know it anywhere.
“That is definitely Shane.” My heart breaks at the evidence of his duplicity. “That’s his necklace. I’ve seen it on him multiple times. I suspected he couldn’t be trusted.”
“It looks like he’s been trying to get close to Daddy for years.”
“Why else would he be with these three on one of their secret planning trips? Do you know how many times Hunter has asked to go with Daddy on these trips and never received an invitation? I think he might have been conning us all along, finding ways to manipulate himself into spending time with Dad.” And me, I realize. That’s the part that hurts the most. I trusted him, let him get close, and now I’m being burned again.
“Wow. We’ve always wondered whether or not to trust him. This is definitely something we need to look into.” Amelia’s voice is calm and flat.
Right now, I wish Amelia was the kind of sister that made mistakes. Because if she was, I would blurt out mine. I would tell her that I fell for it again. I slept with another guy who only wanted me for my money. But she doesn’t. Its’s always me coming to her with another stupid decision. I don’t have it in me right now to tell her. The disappointment I feel in myself turns quickly into fury at Shane.
I dial his number and put the phone on speaker. Amelia stands shoulder to shoulder with me, our eyes burning into my phone.
He answers on the first ring. “Hey babe, I—”
“Shane, how long have you worked here?”
“For your dad? Uh, ten years. Why are you asking?”
No way am I responding to him. I will be the only one asking questions here. Thank. You. Very. Much.
“And how long have you known Daddy?” My voice is clipped and short. This has gone on for long enough.
“Ten years. I just told you. What’s this about?” Frustration builds in his voice and that’s fine by me.
“Are you telling me that you met Daddy when you started working here ten years ago and not a moment sooner?” My words cut the air like a knife. But I can’t leave any room for him to weasel his way out of this one.
“Yes!” He explodes into the phone. “What is this?”
I push the red button and end the call. From here on out, I am completely uninterested in hearing any of his lies.
Holding up the picture, I turn to Amelia. “I’m going to Daddy immediately. He needs to get rid of Shane. We have proof.”
“Proof of what? All this proves is that he has known Dad for a long time. I think you're jumping to conclusions. Dad is really stubborn when it comes to Shane. We need to think this through and make sure we know what we’re looking at.”
Oh, so, Amelia wants to do nothing while Shane slithers his way into our company. That’s fine for her. But that’s not how I do things. My investigation starts right now. I charge out of the boardroom to the back office wing. The secretary looks surprised to see me. Sure, I have never actually introduced myself to her, but it’s not like she doesn’t know who I am.
“Hello. I need the HR file for Shane Sanders.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t give you the file, Miss. Besides, there isn’t a paper file for anyone. It’s all electronic.”
Why is this woman trying to be difficult? “Wonderful, so give me the login or whatever I need. It's Shane, S-h-a-n-e, Sanders, S-a-n-d—”
She stops me. “Yes, thank you. I know how to spell the name. I don’t have the security clearance to access the file. I’m sorry. You’ll need to email our director, and she can get you anything you need, I’m sure of it.” Unbelievably she goes back to typing.
I tap the heel of my shoe against the hardwood floor. She can help me. And she will. Not someone else at another time. This woman. I read her name tag, Judy. Judy will get me what I need. Changing tactics, I give her a sugary grin.
“Oh, is that your cat?” I point to the framed photo on her desk.
“Yes, she smiles. That’s Scooter.”
“Awww, he is adorable. You’ve met my cat, Duchy, right?”
“I have! I love when she comes to visit me at my desk.”
“Well, Duchy knows a cat mom when she sees her.”
Judy smiles and I know I’ve won.
“Judy, listen. You know what an outstanding person my father is, right?”
“Oh, a wonderful boss.”
“You have been so helpful to him over the years. I know he appreciates it.”
Judy beams. “It’s been a privilege. When my husband got sick, your father donated the cost of his medical expenses. It allowed him to spend his final days at our home.”
I reach across her desk and take her hand, genuinely touched by her story. I take a small detour from my mission, wanting Judy to be heard. “Tell me about your husband.”
Judy tells me about her marriage and the things she loved about her husband. Her eyes well at the memory as she continues. I can’t help but wonder if I will ever experience a love like theirs.
“Look at me, blabbering on. I apologize.”
“Don’t apologize. I wanted to hear it.” And I mean it.
“What is it you needed, dear?” Judy asks sincerely.
“You may have heard that Shane is taking over many responsibilities for my father. Well, I want to…surprise them. But I need a little help. And you’re the only one who can help me. So please, could you print anything you have access to? It’ll be our secret.”
***
Sitting at my desk, I scour the pages of the file one by one for details about Shane. I need to find something, anything that will prove to Daddy that Shane has been plotting for years. He needs to be out of our company and out of my life.
If I’m being honest, it makes me sad. Shane was brilliant with those kids. He’s incredibly sexy. But it’s not just his superhero good looks; it’s the way he took charge of my body. He looked at me like he really saw me. I just cannot believe it was all a part of his act. He should get an award for this. Really, Shane, well-played.
There’s nothing here. Seventy-six pages and I’m not one step closer to knowing who Shane really is. But I do have an address. I told Shane that driving was beneath me, but for this, I will make an exception. Besides, it's clear he and Jeffery are in cahoots, so I am on my own for this one.
Buckling my seatbelt, I put his address into my navigation. I follow its directions to the top of the hill. In general, the higher you are on the hill, the nicer your place is. Shane’s address is close to our ranch. What a hypocrite! Anyone that lives this high on the hill has no room to talk about entitlement. How much are we paying him anyway?
“You have arrived at your destination,” my navigation tells me. But this can’t be right. I’m at the post office. I open the file and double check. Yes, this is the address he listed. I walk into the building and immediately match the address with the numbers on one of the PO boxes.
Here we have it folks—another lie by Shane Sanders. He has his mail delivered to a mailbox on snob hill. And I was
falling for him. Even slept with him! In a ballroom! How classy of me. Ugh, I shake my head at the thought. I’m such an easy target.
But this time feels worse than the others. Shane got to me. Made me believe him. And he hasn’t just targeted me. He’s targeted my whole family. Our company. Daddy.
I rip open the file again, my brain furiously combing it for details. I start my car but then turn it off as I see a familiar gray truck pull into the parking lot. Shane hops out of his truck, keys in hand. This is my chance. I settle back into my seat and pull my front visors down. If he won’t tell me who he is, then I’ll have to find out on my own.
When Shane returns to his car, mail in hand, I follow him out of the parking lot. Thankfully, Shane doesn’t think I drive, so I can follow him closely. We wind down the curves of the hill and straight through our town’s main street. Shane pulls into a tiny bungalow on the outskirts of downtown. Hmm. So this is where he lives. Shane, with his giant truck and his expensive necklace, lives in a tiny bungalow.
It’s go time. I hop confidently out of the front seat of my car, slamming the door dramatically. “Weeeeeelllllll. This is interesting.”
Shane’s face hardens. He knows he’s caught. “Ainsley? What the hell?”
“That’s right, Shane. I came to your house to visit you. Your real house, that is. I’m assuming you live here and not at the post office on the hill.”
“You’re crazy. Actually insane. What is this?”
“Oh, I know everything! Are you mad? Good, because so am I. I know that you’ve been targeting us for years, first Daddy and then me.”
“What are you talking about? Targeting?”
I hold the picture up. “This is you, isn’t it? You, the man who has only known Daddy since coming to work for him?”
He lets out an exasperated sigh. “Ugh. Calm down. Let me explain.”
“No, let me explain. I will not stand around while you take advantage of my family. You know, I wouldn’t have believed that it was you except for your necklace. Even back then, it looks like you wore it everyday. Where did you get it, anyway? That necklace is much too nice for someone like you.”
“Stop. Don’t say another word. You have no idea what you’re talking about. Yes, I lied. But it’s because I don’t want you to judge me for my past. And frankly, the more I get to know you, the more I’m sure that you would.”
“Don’t you dare turn this around on me. I’m not the one who lied. You may not like all the parts of me, but I have been myself every minute since I’ve met you.” Tears well in my eyes, and I turn and walk to my car.
Shane grabs my arm. “Listen,” he says.
But I’m done listening. “No, Shane. I can’t listen, because you know what, you’re good. You are really good at what you do. You must have done your homework on me, because I fell for every word. I believed you when you held me. I actually thought that you might be the person who loves me in spite of my money, not because of it.”
I take the final step toward my car. I hear him call my name, but the tears are streaming down my face, and I refuse to let myself turn around.
We are done here.
***
With Daddy’s retirement party just a few days away, I bury myself in planning the final details. I am inexplicably sad after discovering the truth about Shane. I should be relieved, but I almost wish I didn’t know. Even though he was pretending, I wasn’t. I was…happy. Shane made me feel like I wanted to be more than what I am. He made me smile everyday.
I scroll my emails with a numbness that I’m getting used to. One from Jessa—it sounds like the flowers are turning out perfectly. Another from the caterer confirming the menu. Hunter will give the toast even though it is the last thing he wants to do. This all feels mundane without the possibility of Shane popping through my office door at any second. He has steered completely clear of me, confirming details through his secretary.
I open an email from Mary’s Daisy with the subject, “Thank You.” A video montage loads. Children from the center playing on the new playground. Our team posing with them. The little girl with the princess braid in her hair standing next to me. And Shane. So many pictures of Shane. Shane playing basketball with the kids. Shane with a pile of kids on his back. Shane with his arm around me.
Watching Shane’s face pass by in each slide tells me that he can’t be all bad. Shane looks proud in these pictures. And he should be. All of this, each smile on the face of these kids, is because of him.
I wanted to do a pet fashion show. He was the only person who was willing to stand his ground with me in that boardroom.
Thank goodness he did. Shane challenged me to do more, and this is what came of it. This is how Daddy would want to be honored, with action. A philanthropic project that doesn’t just celebrate his work, it continues it. I can see why Daddy likes Shane, even if he is a liar.
The sound of heavy steps approach my office door. I sit up straight and do a quick check of my hair. I wasn’t expecting Shane to pop in but I am partly thrilled. I take a deep breath and remind myself to hold him accountable.
“Hey, Pumpkin.” Daddy’s big hands wrap around my door frame.
I exhale, disappointed. “Daddy, hi. I’m glad you stopped in, I need to show you something.” I take the photo of him with Shane from my top drawer. My hand shakes because I know that once I show him this picture, there is no going back.
He is going to be heartbroken when he realizes Shane has been targeting him all along. He will have Shane escorted off of the property. I’m not sure I’m ready for that because there is so much I love about Shane. But I have no choice. It’s what’s best for all of us. I hold up the photo.
“Oh! I remember that game. Great down to the last shot. They went into double overtime.”
“Daddy, look at the man two seats from you. Does he look familiar to you?” My voice catches in the back of my throat and I swallow hard. My heart hurts.
“Yes! That’s Shane. The game was actually his idea.”
My jaw hits the floor. His idea? My dad has a hard time taking suggestions from anyone. Shane is just a teenager in this photo. How is this possible?
“But, why was he there? You wouldn’t take Hunter on any company trips but you took Shane? And he must have been only a teenager at the time. I’ve done a little research and he hasn’t been honest with us, Dad. He doesn’t even live at the address he gave. I think he’s been trying to get close to you for a long time. He is using you and me, too, to further his position with the company. There’s a reason he has the reputation he does.”
“Oh, Ainsley, there’s nothing malicious going on here. Of course I knew Shane back then. He must have been 17 or 18 years old. It was back when he was having trouble with his foster family. I told him that if he could control his behavior for six months, I would take him anywhere he wanted to go. That game is what he picked, so I invited my colleague and your Uncle David. We made a trip of it.”
“Wait. Shane was in foster care and you knew him?” I hear Daddy but it’s taking my brain a minute to catch up with what’s happening.
“Yes. Back then, you were teenagers, living your own lives. And with your mother still around, you didn’t need as much from me. Being involved in my community, you know, giving back. It has always been important to me. So, I donated money to an organization called Mary’s Daisy downtown. I spent time there, got to know the kids.”
Tears well in my eyes. Daddy is amazing. Shane is amazing.
He continues. “I noticed Shane right away when I started spending time at the center. He was hard to miss, huge even then. But he was also a kid who spent more time at the center than any of the others. Weekends, holidays, you name it, Shane was there. He had nowhere else to be. His mom tried her best but she was in and out of his life, so he was in and out of foster care.
“Shane grew on me. I decided to become a permanent volunteer in their mentorship program, and I requested to be partnered with Shane. I knew with a little guidance, he
would soar, and he has. One of my proudest moments was the day Shane asked me to interview for a position here. He wore a suit and shook my hand. Shane promised me that he would never be outworked, and he kept his word.”
I’m dizzy with the realization of what I've done. No wonder he freaked out when I called Jeffery poor. No wonder he looked so comfortable at Mary’s Daisy; he was home.
“He’s been through so much and come out a strong person. I think of him as one of my own. I love him.”
“Daddy…so do I.”
Chapter 6: Shane
My world without Ainsley in it is bleak. I shouldn’t have lied to her. We’re so good together that I just didn’t want to lose her. Nothing is impossible for Ainsley, and when I am with her, I, too, believe I have no limits. I’m ready to take a chance and trust her with who I really am. This has gone on long enough. Ainsley has a huge heart, and I’m ready to trust her with mine. She belongs with me. Other people can give her anything she wants, but nobody can love her like I do.
I text Ainsley and ask her to meet me at Mary’s Daisy. It’s not a five star dinner, and I’m not sure if she’ll come, but I have to try. These people are my family, and if she’s going to love the real me, this is a part of it. I haven’t missed an annual bonfire since I was fourteen. Plus, if I didn’t show up, who would make my famous s’mores that the kids look forward to all year?
Pacing the parking lot, I look for Jeffery in a black SUV, but he never shows. Instead, Ainsley drives herself. She arrives in jeans and a gray t-shirt. She’s hardly recognizable and more beautiful than ever. I walk toward her as she gets out of her car.
“Sorry,” we say at the same time.
“Ainsley, I’m sorry.”
She stops me, holding out her hand. “No, I’m sorry. That’s not me. What I said about Jeffery, I didn’t mean it. Those words never should have come out of my mouth. Sometimes, it’s hard for me to feel normal. But you do that to me. You challenge me. You help me feel like a normal person. I love that about you.”